This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
For this latest installment of The Research Happy Hour, we’re excited to share our conversation with Liz White, a Managing Director at Studio by buzzback. Liz is a passionate advocate for qualitative research and has extensive experience across various research methodologies. She is particularly excited about the future of qualitative research and the role Studio by buzzback can play in fostering meaningful, authentic connections between researchers and clients.
Career Beginnings in Research
Liz’s journey into market research began in her college years at Boston University, where a consumer behavior class piqued her interest and set her on a path toward the industry. Starting on the quant side, she soon discovered a passion for qual and decided to pursue that path instead.
Q: Can you tell us a little about your story – how you found your way into research, specifically qualitative research?
Liz: I have been in the industry 19 years this past June, and I actually started to get interested in market research as a discipline in college. I went to school at Boston University, I was in their School of Management, and I was still finding my way and looking for what really excited me from a business perspective. And I tried a whole bunch of different things – I had internships in accounting, in finance and in marketing in a publishing house, so I really tried a whole bunch of stuff.
It wasn't until my senior year when I actually took a consumer behavior class, and that professor was – it's one of those stories of the power of educators and the imprint that they leave on you – her course was amazing, and it completely opened my eyes to this side of the marketing umbrella, which is consumer behavior and market research, that I didn't even really know existed. I think it's changed a little bit now – there are tracks for market research when you go to college. That wasn't the case when I was doing it.
I started at buzzback right out of college as a junior analyst checking banner tables and formatting grids on the quantitative side, and that was a wonderful experience. I have a lot of love for quant research and some of the cool things that emerge from that. But then about ten years ago is when I really started to get involved in qual, and I really made the shift in my career from a quant researcher to focusing on qualitative research.
Participant Engagement and Methodology
Q: As the field of research has evolved, have you noticed any change in the participants themselves and the way they share?
Liz: Yeah, I think the way in which they share has been a really interesting evolution. Buzzback, at our inception, we were always this kind of blended quali-quant market research firm. The intent of all of the work that we would be doing was to borrow from qual and infuse that into quantitative methodologies.
So those would be things like collaging at scale and asking different projective enabling techniques. The written open-ended responses that we would get were amazing, thoughtful, and really thorough. And I think now that's just not how people communicate. One of the things that has been really interesting to see the evolution from a participant standpoint is: how are they most comfortable communicating and then how do we meet them there?
So – how do we think about the way in which we're asking our questions so that they are more inclined to answer in a robust way? And that will inevitably happen if you're asking them to do it in a way that feels natural to them. And so that is in video, that is in, at times, audio notes, because there is a little bit of a divide about being on video and expressing yourself in that way.
Liz also discussed the effects of shortened attention spans on the research process.
Liz: From an engagement standpoint, we're also seeing attention spans being shorter and shorter, and so how do you really pack your survey in a way that allows you to hit on the key questions and do the discovery that you need to be doing and not have 60-question U&As anymore, or having two-hour focus groups?
Folks just don't have the attention span for that anymore. And quite honestly, neither do the observers who are watching the two-hour focus group that is inevitably unfolding. It makes you need to really think about your interviews in a thoughtful way and not just cram in all of the questions and ask the same question five different ways. You have to really be thoughtful about each probe and each touch point with the consumer.
Moderation and Unlocking Insights
Q: When you're participating and observing moderators lead conversations, what do you think is the key to making participants feel at ease, encouraging them to engage more willingly and getting them to take part in the discussions?
Liz: I think you have to be relatable in some way, and you have to create that sense of psychological safety. The job of the moderator is to provide that safety at the beginning so that people feel comfortable voicing their opinions when maybe they are the only person in the group that feels [a certain] way. Or maybe they're the only person in the group that disagrees and wants to voice that to the rest of the group. And so that becomes part of the secret sauce.
I think the second part is being creative about the ways in which you're asking the question. I think good moderators are ones that use different techniques, exercises, and engagement tools that go beyond just asking the question in the guide and really force participants to think about the question from a different angle. And that, to me, has always been part of either buzzback at large or any good moderator – their secret sauce is to be able to ask questions creatively and not just rely on the questions on the page.
Q: We're talking a lot about expanding beyond the question. In a scenario where a participant may be very hesitant to share, how would you make sure that individual feels comfortable so that all voices are heard?
Liz: There are two things that usually help with that. One is, in any kind of group conversation, to still be infusing opportunities for individuals to be capturing their own thoughts before the group discussion. So even if that participant is a bit hesitant to engage in the dialogue that you are watching unfold, there still is a way in which they're capturing their own individual thoughts first, so you're still hearing from that person.
The other is about making everyone feel seen and like their opinion is important. Earlier in my career, I did RIVA training, which is the gold standard for any moderator looking to hone their skills. I was lucky enough to have Naomi Henderson while she was still doing those courses, and I remember her talking about how a focus group is like a dinner party. As a moderator, you need to approach it with that mindset.
When you're at a dinner party, you're going to have a lot of different personalities. If you are the host of the dinner party, you want to make sure that everyone has a good time, and that even the quiet and more reserved person still walks away feeling like they were there for a reason and that they contributed to the conversation.
Even if a participant is a bit hesitant to engage in the dialogue you are watching unfold, there is still a way in which they're capturing their thoughts first so you're still hearing from that person.
Q: It sounds like authenticity is a key focus for you when developing projects – how do you create an environment that encourages authentic responses?
Liz: Yeah, there are a couple of ways to do it, and it all depends on what approach you're going to be leaning on. Thinking about some of the work that we have done with Recollective and fostering these long-term communities, part of having that authentic conversation is structuring the space where everyone comes together in a way that feels connected to the topic in a way that allows us to have different channels for how we connect and have different conversations.
Not to overuse the dinner party example, but it's setting the table. It's picking the china. It's setting the mood for what you want that community to feel like. And I think we're really thoughtful about that when we're setting up those communities on Recollective. We're thinking not just about the imagery but also about how the activities are posed and the different secondary ways in which we can have conversations.
Technology and AI in Research
Q: Are you excited about the impact of generative AI on the research process?
Liz: I think it's great. It's a necessary evolution and enhancement for what we do. It is the equivalent to the evolution of hand tallying research results to being able to use the internet and have that be calculated automatically.
So, I think we're at that inflection point again, and I'm excited about it. I think there's a lot of opportunity there. The hot topics that everyone talks about are data security and making sure that everything is locked in. And once we have an answer to that, I think it really becomes a powerful tool.
Q: Is there anything that might make you nervous about that technology?
Liz: My concern, and where I hope we don't go as an industry, is to then say, “We can now do qual at scale because we have a machine that is going to analyze all of this.” I got bit by the qual bug because of the observation, the experience of the conversation, and the insights.
Machine learning, no matter how good it is, is not going to be able to do what any really good qualitative professional can do.
I don't want us, as an industry, to solely focus on the efficiency part of all of it – which is huge and a massive benefit – but we still have to remember why we do qual in the first place and what good qual reporting entails, and that is a compelling story. I don't think we're quite there with the AI technology to be able to take the synthesis to that level.
Celebrating the Rewards of Research
Q: What's the most rewarding aspect of research for you, and what do you get out of the efforts that you put into these studies?
Liz: What I get really excited and energized by right now is … in January, we launched Studio, which is the first end-to-end marketplace designed specifically for qualitative research. It is where independent qualitative professionals and moderators can be instantly discovered and connect with end clients and brands that need their services.
To me, seeing those connections happen and seeing these opportunities arise – that would have never been possible because those connections just don't happen. Right now, those qualitative professionals are just scattered out in our industry, and there is no one place to find them. And they're amazing! They are moderators who – you need to know them, you want to work with them!
What excites me right now is being a part of something that I truly feel is helping qualitative research thrive.
I'm really excited about what we've launched with Studio, and I'm excited about Recollective's partnership in all of it. I think they play a really key role in allowing us to present best-in-class platforms for these professionals and brands to conduct their research. And it's new – it's not something that exists right now in our space. So that's what really energizes me today.
Final Reflections
Liz’s journey showcases the profound impact and excitement of nurturing deep, meaningful connections within the industry. Her passion for enhancing the practice reflects her commitment to advancing research methodologies and celebrating the human elements that make qualitative insights invaluable.
Thank you, Liz, for sharing your insights and experiences with us! Stay tuned for more conversations in The Research Happy Hour series.
About Studio by buzzback
Studio by buzzback is reimagining qualitative research as the first end-to-end platform designed to provide today’s marketers with a more dynamic, simple and seamless experience. Harnessing technology, Studio brings research buyers, moderators, best-in-class technology and research participants together in one platform, making access simple and seamless. Studio was designed and built by buzzback, a trusted leader in consumer insights for more than 20 years. Buzzback has helped hundreds of Fortune 100 and emerging brands make data-driven decisions, winning awards for its rethinking and reinventing research. Headquartered in New York, with a global client base, buzzback is a woman-owned diversity supplier.
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